For 42 balls against New Zealand, Scotland's rookie No 3 batsman was subjected to the fiercest examination of his embryonic career. All it did was whet his appetite for more.

Qasim Sheikh's defiant resistance with the bat was the most positive development from the Scots' midweek one-day internationals against Ireland and the marauding Black Caps in Aberdeen.

The fact he was the top scorer, with 18, against the No 3-ranked Kiwis underlined the level of the challenge that confronted the Scots on Thursday, when their dismissal for just 101 in abject conditions darkened their outlook after a five-wicket win over the Irish.

Sheikh, the Clydesdale left-hander who has hit a century and four fifties for Scotland Lions in this year's Second XI County Championship, also shared a key partnership of 70 with Gavin Hamilton (115) in Wednesday's ODI debut.

From rookie to mainstay, this week he heads for Bermuda, then on to Canada, as a key figure in a youthful side as Scotland turn their attention to the four-day Intercontinental Cup.

The 23-year-old said at the end of the week: 'The good thing is that I've had a lot of games recently against good fast bowlers from the counties.

'But the white ball is a whole new challenge, because I haven't had much of a go in the Friends Provident Trophy, and the Kiwi attack is pretty strong.

'I don't think I gave a bad account of myself. I managed to play a few shots after getting through the tough period and when I got out, it was my own fault.

'It was my first time playing against a Test nation and now I'm desperate for more.'

Sheikh, a headstrong technician who plays from the crease, didn't try to hide his opinion of the Saltires' use of the overseas player option in county competitions after this year's model, Ed Cowan, failed to justify the outlay.

Echoing the cry voiced last summer of Majid Haq, Sheikh said: 'I would have liked to have got a shot in the FP Trophy, and it was probably the overseas player who kept me out. In my eyes, what's the point of having one?

'When we go to the World Cup and other major tournaments, we aren't going to have a hired gun to help us. So it's a missed opportunity.

'I can understand that they don't want to get tanked every week, but the overseas players haven't really come off since the days of Yasir Arafat and Rahul Dravid. Ed Cowan is a good player but it's tough for a guy when he only has batting to offer.'

Scotland (v Bermuda, July 10-13, v Canada, July 16-19): F Watts (capt), R Berrington, G Drummond, G Goudie, M Haq, D Lockhart, R Lyons, N McCallum, G Maiden, D Nel, Q Sheikh, C Smith, S Weeraratna.